NEW YORK – The American Civil
Liberties Union supports Senator Larry Craig’s attempt to have his guilty plea
withdrawn because the Minnesota law under which he was arrested is
unconstitutionally broad. The statute punishes “offensive, obscene or abusive
language” which tends to arouse “alarm, anger or resentment” in others. Clearly,
this law has the potential to ensnare and criminalize legal, constitutionally
protected free speech, including solicitation for private sex.

The Minnesota Supreme Court and other
courts have found that a closed bathroom stall is a private location. The police
have no business spying on people in places where there is an expectation of
privacy. The ACLU is in no way advocating sex in public bathrooms. If law
enforcement is genuinely interested in stopping sex in public bathrooms rather
than ensnaring people in sting operations, posting a sign prohibiting it and
announcing police patrols would be much more effective and would meet
constitutional requirements.